KRIS Lees chases a third Group 2 The Ingham on Saturday armed with a pair accomplished at the Royal Randwick “mile”.
The leading Newcastle trainer will start both Rustic Steel (Josh Parr) and Spangler (apprentice Zac Wadick) in the $2m feature.
Lees has won The Ingham (previously Villiers Stakes) with Sense Of Occasion (2016) and Loch Eagle last year, and is looking forward to saddling his two for a typically open1600m event at headquarters.
“Rustic Steel won the inaugural Big Dance in 2022 at Randwick, and is in good form,” he said on Friday.
“After winning the Ladies Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury early last month, he came back in distance to The Hunter (1300m) at home and closed off nicely to finish fifth.
“He has since easily won a barrier trial against three rivals over 1200m on the Beaumont track just over a week ago.
“Spangler was excellent first up after a long break when fifth in a Benchmark 94 Handicap (1300m) at The Hunter meeting on November 16.
“I could have started him last week and backed him up in The Ingham if he ran well, but decided to wait for this race.
“He comes in with 53kg, and won the Little Dance over the Randwick mile 13 months ago.”
Stablemate Tavi Time (Kerrin McEvoy) is second emergency, and at this stage unsure of securing a start in the capacity field of 20.
If not, he will contest the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1800m), and stable apprentice Ben Osmond’s 3kg city claim lessens his handicap to 59kg.
“Tavi Time is racing well, and I feel he is looking for the 1800m,” Lees said.
Lees has two-year-olds Gobi Desert (Tim Clark) and debutante Cantiamo (McEvoy) lining up in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m).
Gobi Desert won the Max Lees Classic (900m) on debut at Newcastle on November 16, whilst Cantiamo has been the subject of strong support on the strength of two recent good trials at Wyong and the Beaumont track.
“Cantiamo beat Gobi Desert (third) in their latest 800m trial on December 4, but the latter’s work has been good since,” Lees said.
“Perhaps a slight lean to Cantiamo because of her better draw (Gobi Desert has drawn the outside), but I don’t think there is a lot between them.”
Last start Canterbury winner Pier Pressure (Osmond) goes back to Saturday city racing in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m).
“It’s a tougher test obviously, but she appears to have come back really well and has the inside barrier,” Lees said.
Lees accepted with Dream Hour (Nash Rawiller) and Lord OfBiscay for the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m), but the latter has been sent north to race at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
“Dream Hour won The Gateway (1400m) at Eagle Farm 12 months ago, has run well at both runs back and Nash won on him on the Kensington track in October last year,” he said.
Brudenell (Clark) and Infancy (Jason Collett) will round out the stable’s Randwick runners in the Listed Razor SharpHandicap (1200m).
“Brudenell is nicely drawn and has taken improvement from his first-up fifth in The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on November 23, whilst Infancy didn’t have much luck in Melbourne and has freshened up nicely, and likes Randwick,” Lees said.
Leading Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price will use a tongue tie on Magic Millions Guineas hopeful Smashing Time (Josh Parr) in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) at Randwick.
The three-year-old hasn’t raced since early October, and needs to race well to continue on a path toward the $3m Guineas (1400m) against his own age at the Gold Coast on January 11.
Newcastle trainer David Atkins has decided to put blinkers back on Contributing Factor in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m).
Contributing Factor was first emergency but has gained a start, and Atkins has booked apprentice Ben Osmond to ride the gelding.
Story John Curtis, December 13
Comentários